Engineering Commons^™

Determining The Impacts Of Corn Silage Mixing Ratios On Hydrogen Production From Beef Cattle Manure, Katya Faber-Quimby

Honors Theses

With global warming becoming an increasingly serious threat and a growing population requiring additional energy resources, interest in the production of clean energy from the agricultural sector has surged in popularity. Biohydrogen, also known as green hydrogen, is H₂ that has been produced using renewable energy, such as from agricultural byproducts or waste materials. It presents a promising alternative to nonrenewable resources due to its high potential for energy storage and lack of carbon emissions when used. Cattle manure has been explored as a resource for the production of biohydrogen. Selecting for hydrogen-producing microbes in the manure serves the …

Study On The Performance Of Solar Cells Cooled With Heatsink And Nanofluid Added With Aluminum Nanoparticle, Rouhollah Salehi, Ahmad Jahanbakhshi, Jong B. Ooi, Abbas Rohani, Mahmood R. Golzarian

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The cooling of photovoltaic (PV) panels based on nanofluids is one of the emerging cooling methods to improve the efficiency of PV panels. In this study, the effects of aluminum nanoparticles on the cooling performance and conversion efficiency of PV panels were investigated experimentally. The surface temperature, output power, and efficiency of the PV panels were assessed in Mashhad, Iran on a sunny winter day in November 2020 under ambient temperatures between 10 and 17 °C. Experimental results indicated that the nanofluid with aluminum nanoparticle improved the solar panel efficiency and solar PV panel's output power by an average of …

The Neighborhood As An Energy-Generating Community The Case Of El-Banafseg Residential Neighborhood, East Cairo, Amany G. Micheal Prof., Mona Helmy Dr.

Centre for Advanced Materials

Nowadays, energy consumption is a global challenge. This is due to the shortage of several energy sources, and consequently, to their increasing prices. This paper argues that by using an integrative approach for using various energy harvesting techniques, a typical residential neighborhood can be operated as a self-generator of its needed energy, or part of it.

The paper follows a mixed qualitative, experimental, and numerical simulation approaches to examine the practicality of the paper hypothesis. It uses Space syntax modeling theory (a socio-spatial software) to analyze the pedestrian flow to indicate the potential locations of the kinetic energy harvesting Piezoelectric …

Multi-Objective Optimization Of A Microgrid For An Islanded Community, Roozbeh Ghasemi, Martin Wosnik, Weiwei Mo

Student Research Projects

Microgrid design for islanded communities is seeing renewed interest due to the increased accessibility of solar, wind, and energy storage technologies. Islanded communities are often economically disadvantaged, which requires cost-effective microgrid designs. This paper investigates the potential to achieve economic and environmental benefits via optimizing the sizing of various components of a renewable energy system. We used Shoals Marine Laboratory on Appledore Island, Maine, USA as a testbed for developing an optimization framework. A system dynamics (SD) model was first developed to simulate the daily operation of the island microgrid system and then the model was calibrated and validated using …

Photovoltaic Systems On Dairy Farms: Financial And Renewable Multi-Objective Optimization (Farmoo) Analysis, Michael Breen, J. Upton, Michael D. Murphy

Publications

No abstract provided.

Forecasting The Short-Term Value Of Wind Power For Risk-Aware Bidding Strategies In Single-Imbalance Price Electricity Markets, Gianni Goretti

Doctoral

The participation of wind energy in electricity markets and strategic bidding in the day-ahead market has been investigated with growing interest in recent years. However, markets adopting a single-price imbalance settlement where participants can increase their profits if they help to put the system back into balance have received very limited attention in the academic literature. In this thesis, new probabilistic models forecasting the short-term value of wind power are developed and their use in bidding in these types of markets is investigated. The proposed strategies are designed for participants who want to bid strategically in the day-ahead market to …

Using Wind And Hydro Power To Sustain The Off-Grid Power Supply For A 50' Cruising Sailboat, Keisha Meyer, Torrey J. Wagner, Jada Williams

Faculty Publications

Cruising sailboats operate with a power requirement modest enough to operate mostly or completely on renewable energy technology sources. Cruisers without renewable energy systems use the vessel’s diesel engine to charge the boat’s batteries; if the systems are operated at anchor, this dramatically decreases the time before the engine needs major overhaul. System users estimate a diesel engine can run approximately 8,000 hours underway before needing major overhaul, whereas operating 500 hours at anchor produces similar wear and tear on engine pistons. Although renewable energy systems have a high initial capital cost, these systems can provide the vessel’s electrical system …

Austere Location Wind Turbine Energy System Analysis, Lukas Cowen, Douglas S. Dudis, Torrey J. Wagner

Faculty Publications

One promising technology to combat an energy shortage in austere locations is wind energy. In combination with battery storage and generator backup, we explore the feasibility of using a hybrid energy system to reduce the volume of diesel fuel required. Modeling the energy demands in austere locations will enable missions in remote settings to optimize their energy costs, increased their energy resiliency and assure their supply. For a modeled time-series energy requirement that varied between 2.4 MW and 5.1 MW, the optimal wind system size was 9.9 MW of installed wind power paired with a 741 kWh battery. Assuming an …

Evaluation Of Wind And Solar Energy Investments In Texas, Byungik Chang, Ken Starcher

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

The primary objective of the project is to evaluate the benefits of wind and solar energy and determine economical investment sites for wind and solar energy in Texas with economic parameters including payback periods. A 50 kW wind turbine system and a 42 kW PV system were used to collect field data. Data analysis enabled yearly energy production and payback period of the two systems.

The average payback period of a solar PV system was found to be within a range of 2-20 years because the large range of the payback period for PV systems were heavily influenced by incentives. …

The Heat Is On: The Capacities Required For The Establishment And Sustainability Of Community-Owned Renewable Energy District Heating Systems In Ireland, Gerard Doyle

Reports

International reviews of countries’ progress at tackling climate change show that Ireland is making small levels of progress on tackling issues associated with climate change. This paper will examine a theoretical framework, referred to as capacity analysis, to explain the capacities that need to be in place for the successful implementation of community-owned renewable energy district heating initiatives. The theoretical framework employed here is based on the ‘conceptual framework’ developed by Pringle which consists of four categories of capacity. The research methodology involves a case study with cases from Austria, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Wales and Scotland. The …

Generational Aspects Of U.S. Public Opinion On Renewable Energy And Climate Change, Lawrence C. Hamilton, Joel N. Hartter, Erin Bell

Sociology

The topics of climate change and renewable energy often are linked in policy discussions and scientific analysis, but public opinion on these topics exhibits both overlap and divergence. Although renewable energy has potentially broader acceptance than anthropogenic climate change, it can also sometimes face differently-based opposition. Analyses of U.S. and regional surveys, including time series of repeated surveys in New Hampshire (2010–2018) and northeast Oregon (2011–2018), explore the social bases of public views on both issues. Political divisions are prominent, although somewhat greater regarding climate change. Such divisions widen with education, an interaction effect documented in other studies as well. …

Economic Appraisal Of Hybrid Solar-Biomass Thermophotovoltaic Power Generation, C. M. Iftekhar Hussain Cmih, Aidan Duffy, Brian Norton

Conference Papers

The techno-economic parameters that influence the commercial deployment of hybrid thermophotovoltaic (TPV) solar power generation are determined using annual system simulations. It has been found that a TPV cell price of E5/cm2 or less together with a TPV operating temperature under 800°C is required for a hybrid solar–biomass TPV power plant to be economically competitive with the state-of-the-art hybrid solar–biomass Rankine cycle power plants.

Solar And Rain Catching Canopy. Urban Oasis, Afolabi Ibitoye, Langston Clark, Elena Zimareva, Evan Banks, Alexander Aptekar

Publications and Research

The Urban Oasis is designed to work within existing “pocket parks” in New York City as a combined rainwater collector, personal electronics charging station and resting designation for New Yorkers. Intended to not only lessen the demand on the city power grid by using renewable energy to charge devices, the urban oasis is also intended to mitigate grey water overfill in New York’s combined sewer system and, in general, serve as a model for responsible environmental stewardship in urban areas.

The important technical aspects of the canopy specifically analyzed were:

a) how much rainwater could the canopy be expected to …

A Decision Support Tool For Building Integrated Renewable Energy Microgrids Connected To A Smart Grid, Damilola A. Asaleye, Michael D. Murphy, Michael Breen

Publications

The objective of this study was to create a tool that will enable renewable energy microgrid (REμG) facility users to make informed decisions on the utilization of electrical power output from a building integrated REμG connected to a smart grid. A decision support tool for renewable energy microgrids (DSTREM) capable of predicting photovoltaic array and wind turbine power outputs was developed. The tool simulated users’ daily electricity consumption costs, avoided CO₂ emissions and incurred monetary income relative to the usage of the building integrated REμG connected to the national electricity smart grid. DSTREM forecasted climate variables, which were used …

Interannual Variability And Seasonal Predictability Of Wind And Solar Resources, Nir Krakauer, Daniel S. Cohen

Publications and Research

Solar and wind resources available for power generation are subject to variability due to meteorological factors. Here, we use a new global climate reanalysis product, Version 2 of the NASA Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA-2), to quantify interannual variability of monthly-mean solar and wind resource from 1980 to 2016 at a resolution of about 0.5 degrees. We find an average coefficient of variation (CV) of 11% for monthly-mean solar radiation and 8% for wind speed. Mean CVs were about 25% greater over ocean than over land and, for land areas, were greatest at high latitude. The correlation …

Economic Feasibility Of Campus-Wide Photovoltaic Systems In New England, Jongsung Lee, Byungik Chang, Can B. Aktas, Ravi Gorthala

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Compared to the national average residential retail electricity price, Connecticut (CT) had the 4th 26 highest electricity price in the country with 19.23 cents/kWh in September 2015, nearly 50% 27 higher than the national average for price of electricity. This study aims to assess the economic 28 feasibility of the solar PV systems at the campus under realistic constraints, by analyzing actual 29 data from the solar array on campus. The project focused on the economic feasibility of solar PV 30 systems on campus with physical, spatial, and practical constraints that result in a project to 31 deviate from theoretical …

Fulfilling The Promise Of The Paris Agreement: The Role Of Efficiency And Renewable Energy, Chuck Kutscher

CO2 Summit II: Technologies and Opportunities

Renewable energy, energy policy, energy efficiency, buildings

The rapid large-scale deployment of efficiency and renewable energy technologies is crucial to meeting the goals of the COP21 agreement. Key to achieving this is transitioning to zero-carbon cities comprised of highly efficient buildings powered by renewable electricity. This presentation will survey the current efficiency and renewable energy research underway at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory with special attention paid to zero-carbon buildings and the challenges of developing a renewable energy electric grid.

Regional Integration Of Renewable Energy Systems In Ireland: The Role Of Hybrid Energy Systems For Small Communities, Craig Goodbody, Eileen Walsh, Kevin Mcdonnell, Philip Owende

Articles

Due to a lack of indigenous fossil energy resources, Ireland’s energy supply constantly teeters on the brink of political, geopolitical, and geographical unease. The potential risk to the security of the energy supply combined with the contribution of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions to climate change gives a clear indication of Ireland's need to reduce dependency on imported fossil fuels as primary energy source. A feasibility analysis to investigate the available renewable energy options was conducted using HOMER software. The Net Present Cost, the Cost of Energy, and the CO2 emissions of each potential energy combination were considered in determining the …

Slides: Unido: Partner For Prosperity, Kandeh K. Yumkella

2012 Energy Justice Conference and Technology Exposition (September 17-18)

Presenter: Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Chairman, UN Energy; Director General, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

16 slides

Using Life Cycle Assessment Methods To Guide Architectural Decision-Making For Sustainable Prefabricated Modular Buildings, Jeremy Faludi, Michael Lepech, George Loisos

Dartmouth Scholarship

Within this work, life cycle assessment modeling is used to determine top design priorities and quantitatively inform sustainable design decision-making for a prefabricated modular building. A case-study life-cycle assessment was performed for a 5,000 ft² prefabricated commercial building constructed in San Francisco, California, and scenario analysis was run examining the life cycle environmental impacts of various energy and material design substitutions, and a structural design change. Results show that even for a highly energy-efficient modular building, the top design priority is still minimizing operational energy impacts, since this strongly dominates the building life cycle's environmental impacts. However, as an …

Slides: Natural Gas: Game Changer Or Runner Left On Base? Working To Get It Right In Co!, Gary Graham

Drawing the Blueprint for a Sustainable Natural Gas Future (January 18)

Presenter: Dr. Gary Graham, Director, Lands Program, Western Resource Advocates

21 slides

Ecological Payback Time Of An Energy-Efficient Modular Building, Jeremy Faludi, Michael Lepech

Dartmouth Scholarship

Ecological payback time was calculated for demolishing an existing commercial building with average energy performance and replacing it with an energy-efficient, prefabricated building. A life-cycle assessment was performed for a 5,000 ft2 commercial building designed by Project Frog and prefabricated in San Francisco, California, and compared to the impacts of annual energy consumption and continued status quo operation of a comparable average commercial building. Scenarios were run both with and without rooftop solar panels intended to make the prefabricated building net zero energy. The analysis considers the materials and mof the existing building, compared to continued annual energy use of …

Slides: The Here And Now Of U.S. Nat Gas, Michelle Michot Foss

Shale Plays in the Intermountain West: Legal and Policy Issues (November 12)

Presenter: Michelle Michot Foss, Chief Energy Economist, Center for Energy Economics, Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas, Austin, TX

12 slides

Slides: The Peril Of Energy Usage, Mike Tupper

The Promise and Peril of Oil Shale Development (February 5)

Presenter: Mike Tupper, Executive Vice President, Composite Technology Development, Inc.

9 slides

East Bay Energy Consortium Joint Committee Workshop At Bristol Town Hall, Burnside Building: Meeting Notes, April 19, 2010, East Bay Energy Consortium

East Bay Energy Consortium Documents

No abstract provided.

Slides: Integrated Policy, Planning, And Management Of Water Resources, Robert Wilkinson

Western Water Law, Policy and Management: Ripples, Currents, and New Channels for Inquiry (Martz Summer Conference, June 3-5)

Presenter: Robert Wilkinson, Ph.D., Director of the Water Policy Program, Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California-- Santa Barbara

60 slides